Independence Day Pt 2
by Ghostwriter
Summary: Tree Hill Dreams S1. Lucas deals with surprising revelations and testifying against his parents.
1. Hard Truth

INDEPENDENCE DAY PT 2

AUTHOR'S NOTE/DISCLAIMER

Second part of my story. Title inspired by the song Independence Day by Imani Coppola. It was on the Touched by an Angel soundtrack. It's pretty good. One Tree Hill belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. As with Lucas Lies, the story will shift POVs, but I'll try to make things clear.

For a moment, Lucas stared.

"My father? My father?" he repeated. He let out a scoffing laugh. Well, that was just great. "Well, then, **Daddy**, where have you been my whole life? Where were you when I was getting beaten and used as a sex toy?" he questioned.

"I understand you're upset---" Dan began.

"You understand?" Lucas repeated. "Like, you even care. You probably didn't even want me," he continued.

"That's true," Dan allowed.

"I knew it," Lucas said bitterly. "You know what? I don't need you…**Daddy**." With that, he walked off just as Julian pulled up. Lucas angrily threw his backpack into the car and then got in and slammed the door.

"Everything okay?"

"Let's just go." Dan watched as the two drove off. Then, Nathan came out and the man took his son home. The boy watched as his father paced around the living room.

"You okay, Dad?" Nathan asked. Dan shook his head.

"I talked to Lucas today. He wasn't too happy with what I told him," he answered. The boy looked to his father.

"What do you mean? How'd you tell him?" Nathan wondered.

"I looked at him and told him point blank, 'Lucas, I'm your father'," Dan answered.

"Dad, seriously, you Darth Vadered him?" Nathan questioned. "Well, no wonder," he continued.

"I know, I know. He doesn't even know me," the man said. "But I just---I'm sorry, Son. I don't think I can explain this very well," he man continued. "I guess you could say I got a bit excited about the prospect of connecting with my other son." Nathan was about to respond when the front door opened. Confused, the two turned to the front door.

"Mom, you're home early," Nathan noted in surprise.

"Deb, honey, is everything okay?" Dan questioned in concern.

"Oh, am I glad to see you, Danny," Deb sighed in relief.

"Mom, is everything okay?" Nathan questioned, his concern mounting.

"I'm all right, Nathan. I just had a really hard day and decided to come home early," Deb answered, sitting down and rubbing her head.

"I'll go make you some hot tea," Nathan stated.

"Oh, thank you," Deb sighed. Nathan went to the kitchen.

"Okay, what really happened?" Dan asked once their son was out of earshot.

"Oh, it's like I said---it's just been of those days. Everything that could go wrong, **did** go wrong," Deb responded. "First, two our waitresses called in sick, then one of the busboys took off without telling anyone, and then if that wasn't enough, the oven decided to reenact a scene from a bad horror movie," she told him.

"Oh, you **have** had bad day," he said sympathetically, as he pulled her into a hug. Then, "If it's any consolation, I just a really boneheaded move at Tree Hill High."

"What did you do?" The man's expression became sheepish. "I---kinda ambushed Nathan's friend Lucas with the news that I was his father."

"Oh, honey. That's not what I meant when I told you to go for it."

"I know." The woman shook her head as her son brought out the beverage.

"Here you go, Mom."

"Thank you, honey." She took a sip of her tea. Back at the hotel, Lucas was pacing around angrily, waving one of his required reading books in the air.

"I mean, who does he think he is, Julian? Just ambushing me like that? It's probably not even true," he raged.

"So, um, let me check to make sure I have this straight: this guy---Mr. Scott---he's your father?" the older boy questioned.

"So he says," came the response.

"Well, uh…how do you feel about that?" Lucas just scoffed.

"Are you kidding me?" Julian didn't respond, recognizing that the question was rhetorical. "He didn't want me! He said so himself!"

"W---wait a minute---Luke---if he didn't want you, why would he even bother telling you?"

"How should **I** know? Maybe he's some kind of sociopath that gets off on other people's pain." With a frustrated yell, he threw the book at the wall.

"Lucas---"

"I---I can't handle this, Julian. I---I gotta get out of here." With that, the boy opened the door to their hotel room and stomped out. Julian blew out a breath.

"Well, **that** was a lovely conversation."


	2. Perception And Confusion

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired by the song Independence Day by Imani Coppola. It was on the Touched by an Angel soundtrack. It's pretty good. One Tree Hill belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. Because I have a tendency to italicize memories as well as thoughts, Dan's words are underlined so that you can tell which is which. Again, POVs will be switched. The story's still centered around Luke; I just wanted to show Jake's perspective on everything.

Lucas wasn't quite sure where he was going. All he knew was that he had to get away---clear his head. He wasn't sure what to do. The words Nathan's father had spoken kept running through his head.

_"Lucas, I'm your father. Lucas, I'm your father. I'm your father. I'm your father."_ _If he's my father, how come he didn't want me?_ the boy wondered. Maybe it was like his parents told him: he was just a waste of space. That had to be the reason he had been given up, right? If his biological parents had loved him, they wouldn't have given him up and he wouldn't have been trapped with the Mallones'. When he finally stopped, he was surprised to find himself on the court he had noticed the other day. With a dejected sigh, he walked to the bleachers and sat down. He just didn't know what to do. He put his chin in his hands and stared at the metal.

"Yeah, I come out here to think sometimes myself," a voice stated. Startled, Lucas jumped up.

"Hey, whoa. Sorry," the boy apologized, walking up to him.

"Oh, it's okay. I'm just---really jumpy these days," came the response.

"Is everything all right?" the boy asked.

"Things are just---really crazy right now," Lucas responded.

"I'm Jake," the boy introduced himself.

"Lucas," Lucas replied. "I've seen you in school, haven't I?" he continued.

"Yeah. I've got Mrs. Conner's class after you," Jake confirmed. "So, what brings you out here?" he wondered.

"Nothing really. Just---had to get away," Lucas sighed.

"Rough day?" Jake asked. Lucas let out a scoffing laugh.

"You could say that," he allowed. Jake just stared at the boy.

"Sorry. I'm just dealin' with stuff," he apologized.

"You wanna talk about it? An impartial ear may help."

"No, but thanks." Lucas began walking down the bleachers.

"Luke." Luke turned towards Jake. "I realize we don't know each other, and that's probably my fault since I've been busy dealing with some of my own stuff, but if you need to talk---"

"Thanks." Then, Lucas continued on his way. Jake sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He wasn't an idiot. He had seen how Lucas acted in school, and had known something was up. He just hadn't figured out a way to strike up a conversation with him. Just then, his cell phone rang. The boy answered the call.

"No, I'm fine. Sorry. I ran into someone from school. I'll right there," he said pleasantly. Then, he hung up, walked back to where he had parked his car, and then drove off. When he got home, his parents were waiting for him.

"Hey, sorry," he told them.

"It's okay. Someone was just missing her daddy," his father responded. The boy smiled softly and walked up to the crib, where his three-month old daughter lay.

"Hey, Jenny," he greeted. She gurgled and his smile grew. Man, she was so beautiful. _Man, it's tough being a single parent_, he thought to himself. But he was luckier than most. He at least had help.

"Jake, is there something on your mind?" his mother questioned. He laughed.

"You can always read me," he said fondly. "It's just---there's this new kid at school---Lucas. He's always so withdrawn. And he's shown up with bruises a couple of times," he continued.

"You suspect abuse?" his father questioned.

"It crossed my mind. But I haven't really talked to him, and lately, he's been hanging around this other guy who showed up like three days ago, and they seem to get along really well," came the response. "So if he **is** being abused, it's not that guy, and it's entirely possible that it's being taken care of," he continued.

"Well, I guess at this point, all you can do is offer an ear."

"Already did. We talked at the River Court."

"Well, there you go." Jake was about to say more when Jenny began to cry. The boy leaned over, picked her up, and started rocking her as he hummed softly. Meanwhile, had reached the hotel and walked into the room to see Julian sitting on the bed.

"Were you able to clear your head?"

"Yeah. I---I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like such a brat." Julian sighed.

"Luke, you got a bombed dropped on you. If it was me, I probably would've reacted the same way." Lucas walked up to the bed and sat next to his friend.

"I just---I don't get it, Julian. How come nobody wants me? How come I can't ever be good enough?" Julian didn't have an answer. He just took the boy into a half hug and they sat there on the bed.


	3. Decisions

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Futura-Estrella: I think…you're right, and you thank you.

Long Live BRUCAS: Yeah. Well, remember, he's been told that for six years, so he's not just going to automatically change his thinking. That's right, he does. Yep. It sounded like something he would say. We'll see. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. Read on. We'll see. Yep. Yep.

DISCLAIMER

Title's based on the song by Imani Coppola. One Tree Hill belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot.

The two stayed like that for several minutes until Lucas finally pulled away.

"How you holdin' up with all of this?" Julian questioned.

"Honestly? Not well," Lucas commented. "I'm scared as heck that they're gonna be let out. I mean, Mom and Dad can be pretty persuasive," he continued.

"Luke, the officers that took your statement have the documentation from the hospital on file. They won't get out," the older man assured.

"But what if they do? Or, what if this goes to trial? I don't know if I want people knowing," the boy stated.

"Luke," Julian said sympathetically. _Oh, poor kid. Of course he's freaking out_, he thought to himself.

"Julian, if you don't mind, I think I'll just go to bed early tonight," Luke said.

"No, yeah. That's fine," his friend agreed. Lucas climbed into bed and shut his eyes. Julian raked his hair with his fingers and blew out a breath. He wasn't sure what to do. How could he make sure Lucas was safe? And truthfully, he wasn't sure himself that Lucas could handle a trial. He was barely holding it together as it was. At the James house, Nathan and Haley were sitting at the kitchen table and were going over his notes. At least, that's what had been planned. However, throughout the session, Haley had noticed that Nathan's mind wasn't on his studies.

"All right, what's up?" she questioned, shutting the book.

"I'm sorry. It's just---my parents like completely threw me for a loop," he responded.

"Why? What's going on?" she asked. The boy then proceeded to tell the girl everything he had told his ex-girlfriend.

"What? Are you serious? Luke is your brother?" Haley asked.

"Yeah. That's pretty much how **I**'**m** feeling," Nathan commented.

"Well, no wonder you're all spacey," Haley stated. "So, how do you feel about that?" she wondered.

"Honestly, I'm confused as heck. I mean, how do you get two women pregnant and then just walk away from one?" he answered.

"Well, he was young, he made a mistake. And it seems like he regrets it," she said.

"Yeah, I---I know. But---I---I always had this image of my dad, you know? And now with what I know, I feel like it's been ruined," he confessed.

"Well, don't let it be. The image you have of your father comes from how he's treated you, right?" she queried.

"Yeah. And he's always been great. I mean, there was a little while there where I felt like he pressuring me too much about basketball. But then we had that talk and everything's cool again," he replied.

"So, don't count the mistake of the boy he used to be towards the image of the man you know he is now," she advised. The boy sighed and drummed his fingers on the table.

"It's just too weird," he muttered.

"Okay, you know what? Why don't we just skip the studying for today and go out and grab some ice cream?" she suggested.

"Are you serious?" he asked. _ She can't be serious. _ _She's 'Little Miss Likes to Study'_, he thought to himself.

"Yeah, I'm totally serious. Come on," she answered, standing up. Confused and surprised, the boy did the same.

"I can't believe we're doing this," he said, as he followed her out the door. _I feel like we've entered the Twilight Zone_, he thought to himself. They got into Haley's car and the girl drove off. When they reached the ice cream store, Haley came to a stop and they went in. They got two chocolate ice cream cones and then sat at a table.

"So…does Lucas know you guys are brothers?" Haley wondered.

"Yeah. Dad said he looked at him and told him, 'Lucas, I'm your father'," Nathan quoted.

"How Darth Vader of him," Haley commented.

"Yeah. I said the same thing," Nathan chuckled.

"So, what do you guys do now?" Haley asked.

"Honestly, I've got no clue," Nathan sighed. "I mean, what do I say to him, 'Hey Lucas, I hear you're my brother. Sorry I've never heard of you'?" he continued.

"That's a toughie," Haley agreed. The two teens fell silent. Meanwhile, Dan had just told Deb what Lucas had yelled at him in his outburst.

"Oh, my gosh. That poor kid. I can't believe he made it through all that," she stated sympathetically.

"I know---it's…it's horrible, Deb. I can't believe someone would treat a kid that way," he agreed.

"Well, what would we have to do to get custody?" she wondered. He looked at her in surprise. Getting custody of Lucas had certainly been in his thoughts, but he hadn't known how to broach the subject to his wife.

"You---would want to---"

"Danny, of course. He's your son." Dan ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know what the steps are. I suppose we'll have to go to the police station and ask them," he answered.

"So, why don't we do that?" she suggested. "I mean, there's no time like the present to start the process right?"

"You're right, of course." With that, they went outside to the car and got in. Dan put the key in the ignition, and then drove off.


	4. Crossroads

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Long Live BRUCAS: Thank you. I was trying to show the inner quality that she had on the show before she started drinking/popping pills. Yep. You're just gonna have to read on and see about all that.

DISCLAIMER

Titled inspired by the song by Imani Coppola. One Tree Hill belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. I have absolutely no idea how custody proceedings go, so I'm making stuff up, though I'll try to make it seem realistic. Again, changes POVs. I'm keeping Brooke's mom the same as they've shown her in the series, but completely making up her father. I use one of Haley's season 5 lines for this chapter.

Minutes later, the two were at the police station.

"Can I help you?" the desk sergeant queried. She was around their age with attractive features.

"Yes. My name is Dan Scott, and I recently became aware of the fact that a boy that just moved to Tree Hill, Lucas, is my biological son, and I was wondering how I'd go about getting custody for him," Dan stated.

"Wait, you're talking about the boy whose parents were brought in on abuse charges?" the woman asked.

"Yes," Deb responded.

"Well, CPS was thinking of putting him in a group home, but if you're his biological family---" the desk sergeant stated.

"Now, what about his adopted parents? How do we deal with them?" Deb wondered.

"Lucas is at the age where he can decide for himself who he wants to live with," came the answer.

"I see. Well, what about a judge?"

"No judge will let these people keep custody. We'll just need physical proof that you're the birth parents." Dan and Deb looked at each other.

"Well, I'm not the biological mother, but he **is** the biological father. He had a girlfriend before me and she got pregnant."

"I see."

"Is that going to be a problem?"

"I don't think so." Back at their hotel, Julian flipped through a magazine. With a sigh, he glanced at the boy sleeping on the bed. _Geez. Poor kid. He's been through quite an emotional roller coaster_, he thought to himself. The poor kid was pretty spent. It was no wonder that he had gone to bed early. With another sigh, he settled into a new position in the chair. Back at her house, Brooke sat huddled on her bed, hands wrapped around her knees, head ducked, as her parents yelled at each other. _Stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it, stop it!_ she screamed silently.

"Dang it, Victoria! I've had it! All you ever do is spend my hard earned money!" her father yelled.

"I get lonely, Chris! And when I get lonely I shop! Goodness knows there's nothing better for me to do!" her mother retorted.

"How about spending time with our daughter?" he suggested hotly.

"Pot meet kettle. When was the last time **you** spent any time with her?" she countered. This led to another argument. As the adults continued to scream at each other, Brooke reached over to her dresser, grabbed a small figurine and threw it at the wall.

"What in the world?" she heard her father ask right before there came the sound of pounding footsteps. Before she knew what was happening, her father was gently holding her arms and perusing her body. "Brooke, honey, are you okay?" he queried.

"You---you actually care?" she asked softly.

"Oh, baby, of course I care," he answered, pulling her close. _How'd we let it get this far with her?_ he wondered, smoothing back her hair as she started to cry.

"Oh, baby. I'm sorry. I should've realized how much I was hurting you," he apologized.

"I didn't---I didn't think I could talk to you. I just wanted you guys to notice me," she told him.

"Well, this is just great. Go ahead. Sit there and blubber like a baby," her mother snapped. The girl stiffened.

"That's it, Victoria. This marriage is over. I want a divorce," he stated.

"Chris, think of the neighbors. What would they think?" she asked. Chris just stared at his wife. Was she serious? The only reason she didn't want to get divorced because of what the neighbors might think?

"Like they don't already know we're having problems?" Brooke quipped darkly. Despite himself, Chris chuckled. Victoria just stared a moment, and then walked away. Still in her father's embrace, Brooke pulled back.

"Would you **really** divorce her?" she questioned.

"I'm afraid so, honey. It wasn't just an arbitrary statement. I know I took vows of forever and that you're probably mad at me, but---"

"Actually, I think it's for the best," Brooke interrupted. The man looked at his daughter in surprise.

"Really?" he asked.

"Daddy, let's be honest. None of us has been happy for a long time," she commented. He nodded. This was true.

"Brookie, I just want you to know: none of this is your fault," he told her, using an old nickname.

"I know, Daddy. But thank you for telling me."


	5. Freak Out

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AmandaTron: Hey, no worries. I just figured real life got in the way. I thought it sounded like somethin' Nathan would say. Yeah, well, we'll say. Yeah, I'm not a fan of b-toria.

Long Live BRUCAS: Thanks. Well, I wanted her to have one decent parent. Read on and see. We'll see. Keep reading. Hmm. Maybe.

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. I use a line that was in the Higher Ground episode "Seductions".

While this was going on, Victoria had grabbed the keys and had taken the car out. She hit the steering wheel angrily. How dare Brooke carry on in such a manner? And Chris was just as bad---talking about a divorce. How could he be so stupid? Didn't he realize how much the neighbors' tongues would wag if they did that? Not that he seemed to care. Sometimes, she didn't even know why she bothered. _ I hate this stupid town. It's full of nothing but idle gossipers. I don't even know why I stayed_, she thought to herself. If only Chris had listened to her when she had suggested moving out of Tree Hill, none of this would've have happened. They wouldn't be having any problems. And then there was the matter of Brooke's outlandish behavior. She had acted like such a baby. She was sixteen, she should know better. The woman huffed and gunned the engine. She should just leave. Just give Chris what he wanted. She hated Tree Hill, and had never wanted to be a mother in the first place. She let her mind wander to what life would be like with nothing tying her down. She could start up her own business, maybe a fashion line. Victoria smiled smugly. Everyone would know her by name and want to be close to her. But where would she get the money without Chris? Her smile fell. She would never financially survive a divorce. She **had** to stay married to Chris. While this was going on, Julian was flipping through the channels, trying to find something to watch. He glanced at Lucas, who for the time being, appeared to be sleeping peacefully._ Oh, good. He deserves a good night's rest_, he thought to himself. As this was going on, Jack had bribed a guard to let him use the phone and to give him some privacy.

"Yeah, it's me," he said into the mouth piece. "Yeah, the little brat turned on us." He listened for a few minutes. Then, "Yeah. That's right. After all we've done for him." The person on the other line said something." "Yeah. You know what to do," he stated. He hung up. "Guard," he called. The man came in.

"You get everything done that you wanted to?" he asked.

"Oh, I sure did," Jack responded smugly. The guard wondered at this but didn't ask. Back at the Scott house, Dan and Deb were gathering all the information they could find about gaining custody of Lucas.

"Anything new?" Dan asked after a while.

"Nope. Just more of the same stuff we've already found," Deb answered. She sighed. "Mainly, Lucas can decide who he wants to live with and the courts can award them custody," she added. What no one knew was that a social worker was perusing a copy of the hospital and police reports. When the woman saw Julian's listed information, she frowned.

"This man is staying in a hotel. Why would they allow him to house the boy?" she wondered. Then, her eyes strayed to the officer's comments. "Ah. Because the two got along and they didn't want to scare the boy further," she read. That made sense. Yes, it was highly irregular, but the point was to make a child feel safe, not traumatize them even further. But nevertheless, the man was residing in a hotel. That didn't exactly indicate a long-term plan. The frown deepened as the woman ran her options in her head. Reaching a decision, she picked up the phone, dialed a number, and then spoke into it. Back at the hotel, Lucas' sleep had grown troubled. He moaned softly and turned in the bed as if trying to escape from someone. _**A younger Lucas scrambled to his feet as he tried to get away. But it was no use. His father grabbed him and tossed him across the room. Lucas moaned in**_ _**pain. His father hauled him to his feet and then began to backhand him**_ _**repeatedly.**_

_**"Please. Please," Lucas whimpered. He was thrown to the floor and then kicked. The boy curled into a ball, trying to protect**_ _**himself. "Please stop. Please. I'll be good, Daddy…Please stop,"**_ _**he begged.**_ _**However, his pleas went unheeded. After several minutes, the blows stopped coming, and Lucas risked looking up. His father had left. His shoulders sagged in relief.**_ Suddenly, the dream shifted. _**Lucas had been fast asleep when the door squeaked, waking him. He groaned and slumped his shoulders.**_

_**"No…please," he whispered. Without a word, his father came up to the bed. "Dad…please?"**_ _**he asked, hating the begging tone.**_

_**"You know what I want, boy," was his father's answer.**_

_**"Dad, please. I'm tired,"**_ _**he complained.**_ _**The man just forcefully pulled the boy to a sitting position and yanked his shirt off. Lucas pulled away and**_---tumbled off the bed. The boy groaned.

"Lucas, what happened, Kiddo?" Julian questioned, coming up to kneel beside him.

"I had a nightmare---about Dad," Lucas responded.

"Oh, Luke," Julian said softly.

"He's---he's in my head, Julian. I---I can't get him out," Lucas confessed.

"Luke, I'm so sorry, Kiddo," Julian sighed.

"I just---I don't know what to do. He was so angry when the police took him away. If he and Mom get out, they're really gonna make me pay," Lucas said.

"Well, as you said earlier, this is probably going to go trial---" Julian began to say.

"About that, I don't know if I want it to," Lucas interrupted. "I mean everyone's gonna find out," he stated.

"I'm sure the officers and courts will do their best to keep this discreet---" Julian began again.

"But that won't do any good! It'll get out and everyone will know just how dirty I really am!" Lucas shouted.

"Luke, you're not dirty."

"I gotta---I gotta get out of here." Before Julian could stop him, Lucas headed for the door, opened it, and ran out.

"Luke---Lucas! You don't have to---LUCAS!" With a frustrated huff, the older man followed the boy out the door and ran in the direction he had taken.


	6. Hospitalized

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Long Live BRUCAS: Yep. Actually, I haven't decided yet. Well, we'll see. Yep. Yeah, she is. Read on and see. Read on and see.

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired Imani Coppola. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. POVs switch, sorry if it's confusing.

Julian panted, slowed down, and looked around. Where was Lucas? _Man, this kid runs fast_, he thought to himself.

"Lucas! Lucas!" he called. Hearing the sound of feet running, the man once again began his search. Lucas wasn't sure where he was headed. He just wanted to get away from everything. He had thought he could handle what was coming, but he couldn't. He couldn't handle any of it. The nightmares of the previous nights danced around his head. How could he have been so stupid? He knew what would happen. There would either be a beating or the sex would be a whole lot rougher. _What was I thinking? How could I have been so stupid? Why'd I let her call the cops?_ he wondered to himself. He had just made things worse for himself. There was no question on whether or not Mom and Dad would get out…just then question of **when**. Dad was gonna make him pay. Lucas was sure of this. After a while, he stopped, having to catch his breath. He placed his hands on his knees and gulped in a breath of air. Suddenly, he heard the sound of screeching tires. He looked up just as a car came speeding by. The next thing Lucas knew, he was lying on the ground and the car sped away. He tried to get up, but everything hurt too much. He groaned. _Okay. Ow_, was his only thought. He once again tried to rise, but everything began to spin. With another moan, he succumbed to the coming blackness. At the same time, a man was driving down the road as fast as the law allowed. His mouth was set in a hard line. He had his orders and he was going to carry them out. His gaze briefly fell to the photos on the dashboard. All of them featured a boy with blond hair. The boy was Lucas. When Lucas opened his eyes again, he found a woman with a kind face staring back at him.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"You're in the hospital," she responded. He began to sit up, but she gently forced him back down. "Easy. You got hit pretty hard," she stated.

"I---I have to get out of here," the boy stammered.

"I'm sorry, but you're not going anywhere," the nurse told him.

"Who found me?" Lucas wondered.

"A boy by the name of Jake Jagielski. He and some of your friends are out in the hall," the nurse answered.

"Jake?" Lucas questioned in surprise. _How could he have seen me? Why would he call it in?_ he wondered.

"Yeah, he's been pretty worried. You've been out for a few hours," the nurse answered.

"Can I see him?" Lucas requested.

"Of course," the nurse agreed. She went out to the hall, where the boy was waiting, along with his parents and daughter, as well as Haley, Brooke, Peyton, Nathan, Keith, Dan, and Deb.

"He's awake, and he's requesting to see Jake," she told them.

"Oh, thank God," Mrs. Jagielski sighed.

"I guess I'll go in," Jake stated. Then, he followed the nurse into the room.

"I'll leave you two alone," she stated, and walked back out.

"So, I guess you saw the accident?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah. The car was just flying, didn't even bother to stop," Jake confirmed.

"How **did** you happen to see the accident?" Lucas questioned, somewhat suspiciously.

"You were on my street. Saw it from the living room window," Jake replied.

"Huh. Didn't think I had run that far," Lucas responded.

"Yeah, on that note, why were you running anyways? I mean, I doubt you were going for a jog," Jake stated.

"I just---I needed to clear my head," Lucas answered.

"Why, man? What's going on?" Jake asked.

"Uh, who's all here? Is it just you?" Lucas questioned, dodging the question.

"No, I called Brooke since I've seen you hangin' out with her, and I think she called the others," Jake replied.

"Could you send her in?" Lucas queried.

"Yeah, sure," Jake agreed. He went out into the hallway.

"He wants to see Brooke," he announced. The girl went into the room.

"Hey, Friend," she greeted softly.

"Hi," he greeted back.

"You wanted to see me?" she questioned.

"Yeah. Just wanted to see someone safe," he responded.

"Jake's not safe?" she asked in confusion.

"I don't know him all that well," he reminded her.

"Right," Brooke said. "Luke, um---I feel like this is my fault," she admitted.

"Why?"

"Because Jake gave a description of the car to the doctors and the police, and…I know who owns it." Brooke looked at Lucas nervously. He was **so** going to hate her after this.

"**You** weren't driving, were you?"

"No. But my mother was." Brooke bit her lip, and tensed, waiting for the explosion. However, none came.

"Well, she drives like a maniac. She didn't even slow down."

"I know. That's why I always took the bus before I got my license." They laughed.

"So, what about you? Why were **you** out so late?" Lucas looked down and played with the corner of the bed sheet. Brooke walked up to him and carefully sat on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, Broody, what's wrong?" she asked.

"This thing---you know, me and my parents---it'll probably go to trial, and---I don't know if I can handle that," he admitted.

"You don't want people knowing," Brooke said.

"No," Lucas confirmed. "Brooke, I've started to make friends here. When they find out what I did with my father---" he started to say.

"What your father forced you to do," Brooke corrected.

"They're not gonna like me anymore. All they're gonna see is a kid who's---I'm dirty, Brooke. Tainted," Lucas continued.

"No, you're not," Brooke disagreed with a shake of her head. "Lucas, he's the adult, and you're the kid. He had no right to hurt you," she reminded, putting her hand on his. "I don't care how many times I have to keep reminding you of that. I'll gladly do it until you finally believe it," she stated. "And I know you can get through a trial. I know it," she added squeezing her hand. Lucas just stared at her.

"How can you have so much faith in me?" he wondered softly.

"Someone's got to," she answered. He chuckled softly. There was a knock, and the two turned their heads to see Nathan.

"Hey. Can we come in?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's fine," the other boy agreed. With that, the rest of the group walked in.

"So I guess it's a good thing you've got such thick skin," Nathan commented. Lucas just rolled his eyes.

"We were all pretty worried," Haley stated.

"Sorry for all the fuss," Lucas said.

"Fuss? Dude, you kiddin'? You're our friend," Peyton declared.

"That's right. And don't forget that even for a moment," Jake agreed.

"Thanks…all of you," Lucas said. Just then, the nurse poked her head in.

"Okay, everyone out. Lucas needs his rest," she instructed. In unison, the kids made an unhappy face, but did as they were told.

"Actually, I, uh---I kinda need to talk to Mr. Scott...if that's okay," Lucas stated. Dan froze. He wanted to talk to him? He looked to his wife who nodded encouragingly.

"You **do** need your rest," the nurse reminded.

"Just five minutes…please?" The nurse sighed at the pleading look.

"Okay. Five minutes." She left, leaving the door opened.

"What do you want to talk about, Lucas?" Dan asked.

"So, you're my father, right?" Lucas queried.

"Yes. According to the blood work, I'm your father," Dan confirmed.

"You didn't want me though," Lucas stated.

"You're right. I didn't," Dan confirmed. The boy looked down at the bed. Wow. That hurt. That hurt a lot, though Lucas wasn't sure why. After all, it was like Mom and Dad said, he was a waste of space. "At first," Dan continued. Lucas looked up. At first? He had changed his mind? "But Deb got me to come to my senses about having you and your mother in my life. But by then, it was too late. She had already given you up. That's when I started searching for you," he told him. Lucas remained silent. He tried to speak but couldn't.

"You---you really looked for me?" he finally managed to ask softly.

"Yes," Dan confirmed. He walked from the end of the bed to the side and knelt down so that they were eye-to-eye. "Lucas, if I had found you sooner, if I known what was happening to you---I would've gotten you out. I swear it," he told him. Lucas sighed shakily and his Adam's apple wobbled. The look in this man's---his father's eyes---was so sincere, so honest. He really did want him. Without warning, he threw his arms around the man's neck and began to sob. Dan's throat muscles constricted as the boy's frame shook against him. Then, slowly, he brought his arms around him, and he held his son while the boy cried.


	7. Turning Point

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AmandaTron: I hear that. Well, keep reading and find out. Yeah, this Dan's different than the one we've become accustomed to. I figured it fit them. Well, then, read on.

Diane: Thanks. Well, anything for Broody and Cheery.

Lizz10ve: Thanks. Glad you think so. Well, I figured it was about time.

Long Live BRUCAS: Thank you for catching that for me. Julian's absence is explained in this chapter. I figured he'd be the best choice. Yep. We'll see. Yeah, seriously. Keep on reading. We'll see. Keep reading.

DISCLAIMER

I am **so** sorry the updates are taking so long. I'm in school, and midterm week's about to start, plus I've been feeling blocked with the story. Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. One Tree Hill belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. Again, the POV switches.

They were still in that position when the nurse poked her head in.

"Excuse me. Your five minutes is up," she reminded gently.

"Of course, nurse. I apologize," Dan responded.

"It's quite all right," she told him.

"Hey, uh, has a Julian Norris been by?" Lucas wondered and then went on to describe his appearance.

"No, I'm sorry. He hasn't been in," the nurse answered.

"That's not like him," Lucas worried.

"That's the young man you've been staying with, right?" Dan checked. His son nodded. "Where's he staying?" he questioned.

"The Tree Hill Hotel out on the edge of town," Lucas replied.

"I'll go see if I can find him," Dan offered.

"Would you?" Dan felt a tightening in his chest at the way Lucas' face lit up. That look should've been for him. _He knows the guy. He feels safe with him_, the man reminded himself.

"Of course. I'll let you know when I find him."

"Thank you." Dan walked out of the room.

"Dad, what is it?" Nathan queried, seeing the troubled look.

"I think we have a problem," Dan announced, and then headed for the exit, the rest of the group right behind him. Meanwhile, Julian was at the town court house, arguing with a social worker.

"Look, I don't understand why you're keeping me here. A friend of mine was just hit by a car," he said angrily.

"There are some concerns about your current living arrangements," the woman told him.

"And that's keeping me from going to the hospital to see Lucas?" Julian asked in disbelief. _Is this lady nuts? We can sort this out later_, he thought to himself.

"Sir, I don't think you understand the gravity of our situation here. You're merely staying in a hotel. A judge would put the boy in a group home so fast it'd make your head spin," the social worker said.

"I won't let anybody take him," Julian snapped.

"That is why I would suggest you find a more permanent residence," the woman stated.

"So you're saying he can't stay with me if I'm staying a hotel? What a bunch of---" Julian cut himself off. _She's a lady, she's a lady, she's a lady_, he reminded himself. At the same time, the mysterious man was at a gas station, getting his tank filled. When he was done, he paid at the desk and then went on his way. He looked at the pictures of Lucas again and smirked.

"Boy, do I got plans for **you**, kid," he proclaimed. On the way to their respective cars, Dan explained about Julian.

"So, where do we start looking?" Peyton questioned.

"Nathan, Deb, Jake, his parents, and I will check the Tree Hill Hotel. The rest of you spread out through the town. Between all of us, we should fin him," Dan responded.

"You got it," Keith agreed. They all got into their cars and drove off. When they got to the hotel, Dan went right up to the desk.

"Excuse me; I'm looking for a man named Julian Norris. A young man about fifteen with chestnut blonde hair and blue eyes may have recently joined him," the man stated.

"Oh, yeah. He went off with old broad about half an hour ago. They were talkin' 'bout goin' to the town court house," the desk clerk stated.

"Thank you," Dan said, and then headed off.

"Lovely man," Deb sarcastically commented.

"Nathan, don't you ever refer to a girl or woman like that," Dan quickly told his son as he quickly dialed his brother's number on his cell phone.

"Will never happen, Dad," Nathan promised. Keith picked up and Dan hurriedly told him what they had learned. With that, everyone headed for the court house. At the building, Julian blew out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He didn't know what to do. He had just upped and left after Lucas' call. He hadn't made a plan or anything. At least the social worker wasn't trying to take Lucas away from him; she just wanted him to try to find a more permanent residence. _So, what do I do? I mean, I'm not gonna abandon Luke, but can I just give up my life like that?_ he wondered to himself. Suddenly, the man became aware of vehicles approaching. Confused, he and the social worker stepped outside as he saw two cars park in the lot and a group of people step out of the vehicles.

"Excuse me. Are you Julian Norris?" a man questioned.

"Yes," Julian responded warily.

"Lucas has been wanting to see you. He's worried," the man told him.

"Yeah, I meant to stop by, but I got held up," Julian told them.

"The man is staying in a hotel, and yet he's been housing a teen. His living situation didn't give out the best impression," the woman responded.

"Let me get this straight: he finds out his friend's hit by a car and **that**'**s** the time you decide to haul him in to harp on his living arrangements?" Nathan asked in disbelief. Haley reproachfully elbowed him in the side.

"Okay, I suppose my timing **was** a bit off," the woman allowed. Nathan didn't say anything, but stared at her with a raised eyebrow. One of the men turned to Julian.

"Hello, we haven't met, but I'm Dan Scott," he introduced himself, holding out hand.

"Nice to meet you," Julian said, shaking his hand.

"Listen, why don't you stay with us? That way you don't have to keeping paying for a hotel room," Dan suggested. Deb looked at her husband in surprise. _Wish he had asked me first, but I suppose it makes sense_, she thought to herself.

"Um, well---" Julian hesitated.

"Danny's right. I mean, why waste money when you could stay somewhere for free?" Deb stated.

"Well, if you're sure," Julian said.

"We're sure," Dan insisted.

"Yeah. That'd be great," Julian grinned. With that, they all got back in their cars, and left.

"Okay. Now to call a DA and see if we can't get the boy's trial up and running," the social worker mumbled to herself as she headed back into her office. She had some friends in the district attorney's office who she was certain would schedule a trial for as soon as possible. When she got into her office, she sat at her desk, picked up the phone, and began dialing a number. Meanwhile, the man that Jack Mallone had hired had just reached the Tree Hill city limits. He smirked.

"Lucas, my boy, you're gonna get it."


	8. A Little Good, A Little Bad

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Anonymous: you'll see. Yep. Yeah, she **did** have lousy timing. Oh, yeah. This Dan's **totally** different than the guy we love to hate on the show. Yep. We'll see. We'll see.

Rocklesson86: Thank you.

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. One Tree Hill belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. And you know me and my penchant for switching views, though I'll try to make things clear. I know I didn't say it before, but Lucas' room **does** have a bathroom. Sorry for my lapse of forgetfulness.

In the hospital, Lucas was sleeping fitfully. He'd start to drift into unconsciousness, but then he'd hear a squeak and jerk awake. When this happened for what seemed to be the umpteenth time, he flopped on the bed and just looked at the ceiling. He **really** didn't want to be here. He wanted to be back in the hotel with Julian. But the doctors wanted to make sure there was no hemorrhaging or other internal damage before releasing him, which meant he had to stay overnight. _This bites_, he thought to himself. He sighed and fiddled with the corner of the bed sheet. His mind wouldn't shut off. He could only imagine what his parents were doing right now. With a sigh, he laid his head back on his pillow. He just---he just wished it all would go away. He didn't want to deal with this anymore. _Maybe I should try to get some sleep_, he thought. With that, he snuggled into the sheets and closed his eyes. A few minutes later, his breathing gave way to the rhythmic breath of one sleeping. Back at the Scott house, Julian's eye went wide.

"Dude!" he exclaimed. _What I wouldn't have given to stay in a place like this when I was a kid_, he thought to himself.

"I know it seems a bit overwhelming, but on the bright side, we got plenty of room," Nathan stated. Jake was about to say something when a wail interrupted him.

"Oh, I guess that's our cue to go home," Jake stated.

"I guess all the excitement tired your sister out, huh?" Nathan queried.

"Uh---yeah. Yeah, it did," Jake replied. Peyton threw him an unreadable look. "Mom, Dad, we should get going," he told his parents.

"Of course," Mr. and Mrs. Jagielski chorused. With that, they left.

"Yeah, and my parents are probably wondering where I am, so I should call them," Haley stated at the same time, pulling out her cell phone and heading into a hallway.

"Hey, Peyton, could I talk to you?" Brooke requested.

"Yeah, sure," Peyton responded, and they went off to a corner while the Scotts showed Julian to a room. "What's going on?" she asked.

"I wanted you to be the first to know," Brooke began.

"Brooke, you're not---you know?" Peyton asked in concern.

"What?" asked in confusion. Then, realizing what her friend meant, "Oh, no, no, no, no, no! I'm not---**that**!"

"So, what's going on?" Peyton wondered.

"My parents are getting divorced," Brooke told her.

"What?" Peyton gasped. "Oh, my gosh! Brooke, are you okay?" she questioned.

"Surprisingly, I am. I mean, none of us have been very happy, and I honestly think this is for the best," the other girl stated.

"Who are you going to live with?"

"Well, I'd like to live with my father. But I don't think it's up to me."

"Brooke, you're sixteen. You're totally at the age where you can decide for yourself."

"Really?"

"Yeah. If you want, we could look it up, see what your rights are."

"Yeah, that'd be great."

"Come on. I bet Nathan will let us use his computer." The two girls headed up to their friend's room. Nathan saw this and quickly followed them.

"What's up, girls?" he asked.

"Is it okay if we use your computer?" Peyton requested.

"What for?" Nathan wondered.

"My parents are getting divorced, and I wanna know what my rights are," Brooke answered.

"Your parents are getting divorced? Brooke, I'm so---" Nathan started to say.

"Please. It's **way** better for all of those involved if they do this," Brooke interrupted.

"Okay, then," Nathan said. Then, "And yes, you can use my computer."

"Thanks," the girls chorused, and continued to his room, where they turned on the computer and started their search. Meanwhile, the man had decided to stay in a hotel near the Tree Hill Hotel. He got himself settled in and then pulled out the pictures that he had of his target. He stared the pictures and grinned maliciously. The boy was so close, he could almost taste it. While this was going on, Chris was setting up an appointment with a divorce lawyer.

"How soon do you want to meet?" the man asked.

"As soon as possible. I want to get this over quickly so it's not so hard on my daughter," Chris responded.

"Okay, then. I'll see what I can do," the other man promised. They shook hands and Chris got into the car and left. _Oh, Victoria. How did we get this way?_ he wondered sadly. They had been arguing for several months, and looking back, he could see how it had hurt Brooke. _How come we didn't see this sooner?_ his thoughts continued. They had been so in love once. How could they have come to this? How could his love for his wife just die? He was so confused. He sighed and headed to the house. He knew he had been lucky that the lawyer had agreed to meet with him so late. In the hospital, Lucas awoke with a start. He panted nervously. _Oh, man. It was just a nightmare_, he thought to himself. He wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. It had felt so real. In his dream, his father had busted into his hospital room and had started in on him while the doctors just talked and laughed amongst themselves. It was like they hadn't even seen what was happening in the room. A part of him knew that would never happen, but a bigger part wondered what would happen if his dad escaped. Then, needing to use the restroom, he carefully sat up, and put his feet on the floor. Then, slowly, carefully, he stood up and with halting steps headed into the bathroom. After making his way across and relieving himself, he went back to bed. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't fall back asleep. Meanwhile, Lucas wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep. Whitey was at his kitchen table, perusing the list of tryouts he had written. He had to find a replacement for the Mallone boy, even though he didn't want to. Derek was right: he needed to make a decision. It wasn't fair to the team. His thoughts drifted to Lucas. He had been good at the tryouts and he seemed to enjoy playing, so why had he been so sure that he'd never get his parents permission to play? The man sighed and once again looked over the list. Then, he sighed and threw the paper on the table.

"Well, to quote my students, 'This sucks'."


	9. Tug Of War

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AmandaTron: You'll find out…eventually.

Long Live BRUCAS: Thanks. Ha ha, I've done that myself. We'll see. Keep on readin' and find out.

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. I don't remember general hospital policy for visiting hours, and I'm sure each place is different, so I'm making something up. And this part is supposed to be taking place during the weekend. Deb knows Julian's name from when they went to look for him.

When the nurse came in early the next morning, she was surprised to see Lucas awake.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" she asked. He just shook his head. "Well, take heart: if things go well today, we may be able to release you," she assured. His face lit up. She laughed. "I take it you're more than ready to go," she commented.

"Yeah," he confirmed. Then, "Um…speaking of going…" Understanding what he was asking, the nurse helped him out of bed and carefully led him to the restroom on the other side of the room. When he was done, he was led back to the bed.

"When are visiting hours?" Lucas wondered.

"Eight AM," the nurse answered.

"What time is it?" The nurse glanced at her watch.

"Six thirty." Lucas' shoulders slumped.

"Look, why don't you go back to sleep and I'll wake up when it's almost eight?" she suggested.

"Okay," he agreed. He turned on his side, closed his eyes, and drifted back to sleep. The next thing he knew, someone was shaking him awake. With a confused moan, he opened his eyes.

"Hey, it's seven-thirty. I thought you'd like some breakfast before your friends get here," the nurse from before told him.

"Thanks," he said. _Huh. Food. I hadn't even thought about that_, he thought to himself. Oh, sure he had eaten dinner the night before, but truthfully, he had been so concerned about Julian not showing up that he hadn't really noticed whether or not he had eaten. Carefully, he sat up. The breakfast was placed in front of him and the boy ate. A little after eight, Julian and the Scotts arrived.

"Hey," Lucas greeted.

"Hey, buddy. How you holdin' up?" Julian questioned.

"Wantin' to get out of here," Lucas admitted.

"Soon. I promise," the nurse stated.

"I know how you feel, man. I don't like hospitals either," Nathan sympathized. Lucas sighed.

"Whatcha thinkin', Kiddo?" Julian asked.

"I don't know. I just---I feel like this is all happening so fast. I---I mean, the arrest, finding out who my family is, getting hit by a car…" Lucas' voice trailed off. "I just want all the drama to stop," he finished. Deb looked at him sympathetically.

"I don't blame you," she said. Then, "Would it be all right if Dan and I talked to Lucas and Julian in private?" Confused, Lucas looked to Julian, who just shrugged. He didn't know what was going on. Normally, a question like this would've sent the younger boy into a panic, but for some reason, coming from this woman, the request didn't scare him. The nurse looked to Lucas, silently asking his permission and he nodded.

"Of course," the nurse responded. With that, she and Nathan stepped out of the room.

"What's going on?" Lucas wondered.

"Lucas, Dan and I have been talking, and we've gathered up all of the information that we could get our hands on---" the woman began.

"You're talking about getting custody for Lucas," Julian realized.

"That's right," she confirmed.

"I'd have to leave Julian? No!" Lucas exclaimed. A flash of hurt appeared on the couple's faces.

"Whoa, calm down. They're not getting rid of me that easily," Julian soothed.

"I don't get it. Why would you want me? I'm damaged. I'm dirty, I'm tai---" Lucas began to say.

"Hey, hey, hey, whoa. I don't wanna hear that kind of talk," Deb interrupted. "Lucas, you're fifteen years old. You're just a kid. He didn't have the right to hurt you," she told him.

"Why does everyone keep saying that? I could've stopped it! I never fought him!" he insisted.

"And you think to yourself 'It's **my** fault. No one will believe **me**. **I** asked for it'," the woman said. Lucas and Julian looked to her in surprise and Dan squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Y---you were---?" Lucas stammered.

"It was my stepfather," Deb confirmed.

"Deb's one of the strongest women I know. It took her a lot of courage to tell me what he had done to her," Dan commented.

"You know, uh---there's gonna be a trial and---" Lucas began.

"You're not sure if you can go through with it," Deb said.

"No. I'll have to face him---and he is **so** persuasive," Lucas worried. "He'll have no problem convincing the court that he and mom are parents of the year," he continued. Deb walked over, sat in a chair, and leaned over and placed a hand on top of his.

"They're not going to win, Luke. We won't let them," she assured. Lucas ducked his head shyly. This felt so right. This felt like…a family. Dan and Deb looked at each other as Nathan and the nurse came in.

"What's going on?" Nathan wondered. Lucas looked to Dan and Deb, unsure of how to answer.

"Lucas and Julian are going to be staying with us for a while," Dan answered. Nathan just stared. Different emotions coursed through him. He had always wanted a brother, and now that he knew that he had one, he wanted to spend time with him. But on the other hand, what if Lucas had no interest in the family? What if he blamed them for everything that had happened to him?

"What are you thinking?" Lucas asked nervously. What if Nathan didn't like him anymore? What if the other boy thought that he was encroaching on his turf? To his surprise, the other boy's face lit up in a grin.

"This is great. This is better than great. This is excellent," he commented.

"Really?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah," Nathan confirmed.

"Um, have your parents expl---"

"Yeah, I know you're my brother."

"Hey, what about our project?"

"Don't worry about it. I got us an extension."

"How?"

"Told her I had a family emergency." Lucas' face grew troubled. "Don't worry, man. She didn't ask for details." Lucas grinned and shook his head. Back at her house, Brooke was discussing the divorce with her father, using the information she and her friends had found.

"Wow. You guys really did your homework," Mr. Davis stated.

"Well, I figured I should probably know my rights, you know?" Brooke responded.

"That's smart," Mr. Davis approved.

"Hey, um, I was wondering, would you be staying here?" Brooke asked.

"You mean here in this house?" Mr. Davis wondered.

"No, I mean here in Tree Hill," Brooke answered.

"Of course I'd be staying in Tree Hill. It's home," Mr. Davis replied. Brooke's face lit up in a grin. She was about to say more when her mother came down the stairs.

"Victoria, what is it?" Mr. Davis wondered, seeing her grim expression.

"I don't want a divorce, Chris," Mrs. Davis announced. Father and daughter stared at the woman in surprise.


	10. Secrets Revealed And Warning

CHAPTER TEN: SECRETS REVEALED AND WARNING

"Wh---what?" Brooke asked. "I---I'm sorry. That was my hopeful ear. Could you repeat that?" Yes, she had thought that her parents getting a divorce was a good idea, but if her mom wanted to fight for the family…Brooke looked to her father, unsure of what to say.

"Are you serious, Victoria?" Chris questioned. _If she wants to work on the marriage, I'm all for that_, he thought to himself.

"Of course I'm serious," Victoria replied. "After all, let's be practical Chris. A divorce wouldn't be financially sound," she continued.

"Oh, my---you are unbelievable!" Brooke exclaimed.

"Brooke Penelope Davis, you listen---" Victoria started to scold.

"No, **you** listen! You don't want to fight for this family; you just don't want to lose any money! You make me sick," Brooke interrupted.

"Brookie, calm down," Chris soothed, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Fine. I'll give you your divorce, Chris. But Brooke's coming with me," Victoria commanded, stepping closer and grabbing her daughter's arm.

"I don't think so," Brooke responded, yanking herself free. The woman froze.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"I don't want to live with you, I want to live with Daddy…in Tree Hill," Brooke answered.

"Brooke, honey, beautiful things wither and die in this place…that's why I want to get us out. So you can show the world your potential," Victoria told her. Brooke looked up at her father.

"Is she serious?"

"Kiddo, I think your mom's cracked." Victoria looked at the two.

"Brooke, I know you **think** you're doing the right thing, but you're just being overly emotional and immature," she stated. Her daughter scoffed.

"This coming from a woman who's only reason for not wanting to get divorced is the money involved? Yeah, **that**'**s** real mature," she said sarcastically.

"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady. I am your mother and you will respect me," the woman said.

"You're right, Mother. That was rude," she agreed. Chris's grip on Brooke's shoulders gently tightened as he felt his daughter speak in rage through the respectful tone.

"Now then, that's better. Pack your bags," the woman commanded.

"No."

"What?"

"Respectfully, Mother, get out of our house." Victoria stared in surprise. Was she serious? Seeing the girl's steely gaze, the woman sighed and walked out. After the woman was gone, Brooke let out a heavy sigh.

"Oh, Brooke. You okay, Kiddo?" her father asked as he turned her around so that they were facing. She nodded.

"I'm sorry. I know I was rude," she apologized.

"No. It needed to be said. It sounded like you've been holding that in for a while," he commented. Meanwhile, Peyton stood in front of Jake's house nervously. She knocked on the door. The door opened to reveal Jake.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Hello to you too," she said.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that," he apologized.

"I miss you, Jake. I really, **really** miss you," Peyton confessed.

"I miss you too," Jake admitted.

"So why don't we just tell everyone the truth? That I'm Jenny's mother?" Peyton wondered.

"Because this is high school, Peyton. You know how our classmates are," Jake responded.

"So you're ashamed of me?" Peyton questioned.

"No! Of course not!" Jake exclaimed. _How can she think that? I love her and Jenny more than life itself_, he thought.

"Really? 'Cause from the way you're talking, it sounds like you **are**," Peyton pointed out. With a sigh, Jake stepped out of the house and closed the door.

"Peyton, you know how much I love Jenny…and you. And I would **love** to shout from the rooftop that you're her mother, but I don't want people looking down on you because we made the mistake of not waiting until we were married," he told her.

"But I want to help you raise her. I want to be a part of her life," she told him.

"And you **are** a part of her life. Jenny knows how much we both love her," he assured.

"But you've given up so much---the team, your free time, and I'm still at school after hours waving my pom-poms around like some airhead without a care in the world," she said. Jake sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't want you to have to give up cheerleading. It's one of the few things that you have that keeps you close to your mother," he said.

"Honey, I know you want to me to feel close to my mother, and I love you for that, I **do**. But do you think she would want me to ignore my responsibilities as a mother? Because I don't," she told him. He sighed again.

"You've sacrificed so much happiness in your life and---" he began to say.

"Pretending that you're a single father isn't fair to us!" she interrupted. "And frankly, it's not fair to her either!" Jake looked at Peyton and stroked her hair lovingly.

"Okay, we'll tell our friends…together," he agreed.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"You wanna come in?" She nodded and they stepped inside and walked up to the crib.

"Hi, Bunny. Mama's home." Jenny gurgled and reached up to grasp her mother's fingers. Two days later, Lucas was released from the hospital, and he and Julian went to the Scott house.

"Hey, uh, Nate, do you think I could still to the coach about playing?" Lucas asked nervously.

"You kiddin'? He'd love to hear from you. Rumor has it he's been holdin' out on finding a replacement for you," Nathan responded.

"How did you hear that?"

"I've got my ways." Lucas just chuckled.

"If you'd like, I can call him and have him come over now," Dan offered.

"That'd be great," Lucas grinned. With that, Dan went to the phone and dialed a number. He spoke into it and then hung up.

"He'll be here in a few minutes," the man stated. True to his word, the coach arrived after a few minutes.

"What's going on, Danny?" Coach Durham questioned.

"I've got someone here who wants to talk to you," Dan responded.

"Hi, Coach," Lucas greeted sheepishly.

"Mr. Mallone," Whitey noted.

"Could---could we talk?" Lucas asked nervously.

"Relax. I don't bite, son," Whitey told him.

"I---I know I told you I couldn't join the team, but---" the boy trailed off.

"You want to join," the coach realized. The boy nodded.

"Boy, if you think you can just arbitrarily decide not to join and then join the Ravens, you're sadly mistaken," the man told him. He turned away to hide the grin that lit up his face.

"Oh, come on, Whitey. Give him a break," Nathan stated.

"It's---it's okay, Nathan. We've should've expected this," Lucas assured. "That's okay, Coach. I understand." With that, he began to walk away.

"I want to see on practice Monday." Surprised, Lucas turned around.

"Are you serious?"

"Boy, I've been holding out for you." Lucas laughed.

"Whitey, one of these days…" Nathan's mock threat trailed off.

"See you boys Monday." Laughing, the man walked away. Deb laughed.

"Same old Whitey," she said fondly. Lucas just looked confused.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Don't worry, man. You'll get used to him," his brother assured. Lucas just shook his head. On Monday, both boys arrived at Tree Hill High together. Everyone stared and whispered to each other.

"They're all staring," Lucas said nervously.

"Don't worry 'bout it," Nathan responded.

"Easy for you to say. People like you," Lucas griped.

"Come on, man," Nathan said, gently touching his shoulder. Meanwhile, Brooke was telling Peyton what had happened between her, her dad, and her mother.

"It was so horrible, Peyton. It was like she didn't even care about me at all---just Daddy's money," Brooke moped.

"Oh, Brooke. I'm sorry," Peyton said sympathetically, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Me too," Brooke stated. "But, you know, on the upside, Daddy's been more attentive, and he's started calling me 'Brookie' again," she continued. They laughed as they walked up to Lucas and Nathan.

"What's so funny?" Lucas wondered.

"Oh, it's nothing," Peyton responded. "Have you guys seen Jake?" she asked.

"We just got here," Nathan replied.

"I think that's Nathan for 'No'," Brooke commented. The group laughed. Then, the dark-haired girl turned to the blonde-haired boy.

"Hey, Buddy. How you holdin' up?" she asked.

"Things are---good. Look, there's something I gotta tell you," Lucas stated.

"If it's what I think it is, Nathan already told me because he needed a sound board, so we're just going to leave you two alone," Peyton interjected.

"Yeah, good idea. Let's go, Peyton," Nathan agreed. They walked away.

"What was that all about?" Brooke wondered.

"Uh, Brooke, I **really** need to talk to you," Lucas emphasized.

"What's wrong?" Brooke questioned, immediately focusing on her friend.

"I'm not too sure how to say this---a little bit before I get hit by the car---like a week before or so---Nathan's dad came up to talk to me," Lucas told her.

"Why?" Brooke questioned.

"Apparently, he's my dad too," Luke said.

"Really?" Brooke asked in surprise.

"Yeah. My blood work matched Nathan's or something," Lucas responded.

"Wow. That's a lot to take in," Brooke sympathized.

"So, how 'bout you? It looked like you and Peyton were talking about something pretty serious," Lucas noted.

"It's nothing really important," Brooke dismissed.

"Come on, I'm always venting to you, and you've been here for me through everything, and I'd like to return the favor," he told her.

"That's sweet. And I thank you for it. But I don't want you to feel like---" she started to say.

"Hey, come on. You can talk to me," he told her.

"You sure?"

"Of course." Brooke nodded as if making a decision.

"My parents are getting divorced," she told him.

"Oh, man! I'm sorry," he said. She shook her head.

"Don't be. It's better."

"Who are you going to live with?"

"My dad. He's staying here. As they talked, they headed for the school's entrance. Then, they went into their class. Throughout the day, Brooke and Lucas kept tabs on each other. Then, at lunch, they headed for the same table. When they got there, Peyton and Jake were already there and holding hands.

"Oh, look. Jeyton got back together," Brooke commented.

"Brooke!" Peyton exclaimed as Jake laughed. Haley and Nathan came up.

"What's so funny?" Nathan wondered.

"Brooke's using nicknames again," Jake explained.

"What do you expect from CB?" Nathan joked. Brooke stuck her tongue out. Just then, one of the basketball players walked up to them.

"Hey, Mallone," he called harshly. _Oh, man. Here we go_, Lucas thought as he sighed and turned to face the boy.

"Can I help you?" he questioned.

"What makes you so special? Why would Whitey hold out for **you**? As soon as you said you weren't interested, he should've gone to the better player," the boy sneered.

"You're certainly full of yourself, aren't you, Mark?" Jake asked.

"Shut up, loser," Mark sneered.

"You better step away," Peyton snapped, jumping up.

"Easy, baby," Jake murmured, grabbing her hand.

"Face it, Jake. You had it all until you gave it up for that stupid baby. You should've just made the mother abort it. At least that way you wouldn't be tied down by some little brat," Mark continued. Before anyone knew what was happening, Peyton had leapt across the table and tackled Mark, knocking him to the ground, causing Lucas to tense up. It was just like dad. A nudge from Nathan broke him from his reverie. At this, everyone outside stopped what they were doing and stopped to stare at what was going on.

"Don't you talk about my daughter that way, you creep!" she shouted, punching him.

"Peyton! Peyton, stop it!" Brooke shouted, running to the two and pulling her friend off of the boy. The blonde-haired girl broke free from the grasp and lunged again, only to be intercepted by Nathan and Lucas.

"You should leave," Nathan told Mark. The boy just scoffed, but did so. Peyton huffed as Principal Turner walked up.

"Ms. Sawyer," he said.

"I know, I know---join you in your office," she commented, and then followed him.

"So, Peyton's Jenny's mother," Nathan said.

"Yeah," Jake confirmed hesitantly.

"When did it happen?" Nathan wondered.

"Jenny's only three months," Jake answered.

"So that means it was---" Nathan began.

"After you guys broke up for the millionth time," Jake finished.

"Why'd you keep it a secret?" Brooke wondered.

"I've been telling myself it was because I didn't want to lose Nathan as a friend and so that Peyton could have a normal life, but now I just don't know," Jake confessed. They fell silent. When lunch was over, they went to another class.

"So, what did Turner say?" Jake questioned.

"I'm suspended starting tomorrow," Peyton replied with a shrug. "Jake, I'm sorry. I know that's not how you wanted people to find out," she apologized.

"It's all right," he answered. They shared a quick kiss before the teacher started their lecture. After school came basketball practice. Lucas changed into a jersey with the number '3' and joined the scrimmage. Whitey watched as the team practiced. He grinned as Lucas across the court in a fluid movement. The kid was a natural. He was glad he had changed his mind about playing. Presently, he became aware of someone standing behind him and turned around.

"Oh, hey, Danny," he greeted.

"Hey, Coach," Dan acknowledged. "Lucas is pretty good, huh?" he questioned.

"Yes, he is. I'm glad his parents changed his mind about letting him play," the coach stated.

"Uh, coach, about that…" Whitey's eyes narrowed as Dan fidgeted.

"Danny, what did you do?" he demanded.

"Apparently, Lucas was taken to the hospital a few weeks back and due to his injuries they had to do a blood test as a part of a physical," the other man said.

"What?" the coach questioned. "He's playing injured?" he realized. He turned to call the boy back in, but his former player stopped him.

"Coach, Coach, he's fine now. Well, as much as he can be with what he's gone through," he said bitterly.

"What are you talking about, Danny?"

"Coach, Lucas is my son."

"The one that Karen---"

"Yeah." Whitey stared at Dan. He remembered how devastated the boy had been when he learned that his girlfriend had just given up their son without contacting him.

"He has Deb and my permission to play, but he's most likely going to have to go to court because of what his adopted parents put him through."

"We'll work around it."

"Thanks, Coach." When practice was finally over, the boys went into the locker room to change. Lucas ignored the chatter and like he had before the practice, hid behind a locker before taking off the jersey.

"Dude, what the heck?" Startled, Lucas turned around.

"Nathan," he said nervously.

"What happened?" the other boy asked, referring to the marks he had seen on his brother's back.

"They're---they're old. It's no big deal," came the response.

"Luke?" The boy sighed. "I was in the system before the Mallones. I---I didn't really have the best of luck when it came to homes. And the Mallones were no picnic."

"Dude, that sucks." Lucas shrugged.

"Look, I'll meet up with you, okay?"

"Yeah, sure." Nathan walked out and once he was alone, Lucas changed into his street clothes. Then, he headed out. He had just reached the parking lot when someone grabbed him from behind and threw him to the ground. He groaned and tried to get up, but was kicked in the face. As he tried to get his bearings, he felt someone sit on top of him. They reached for his shirt.

"No." He began to struggle, but was pinned down and his shirt was removed.

"Na---" his attacker muffled his cry by placing a hand over his mouth. The boy continued to fight as he felt the person caress his body. He wasn't going to let this happen again! He had gotten out! He heard the sound of two zippers being undone, and then searing pain coursed through his body.

"No," he whispered, increasing his fight. As he tried to escape, the person punched him as they continued their violation. The sound of faint footsteps caused the attacker to halt their actions. The person leaned in towards Lucas' ear.

"Daddy says, 'Hello'," they whispered. Then, they got up, and ran off. Lucas sobbed and covered his face with his hands.

"LUCAS! LUCAS!" Nathan skidded to a stop when he saw the boy.

"LUCAS!" Brooke exclaimed, running up and kneeling next to him. "What happened?" she asked. He just cried.

"Luke?" Peyton asked softly. She looked to Jake uncertainly. He just shrugged, just as confused as she was. What had happened to their friend?

"Luke, what happened?" Brooke asked again. He struggled to speak through gasping pants.

"He---he said---"

"What? What'd he say?"

"'Daddy says 'Hello'." With her own sob, Brooke cradled Lucas' head in her lap as Nathan's shock finally wore off and he used his cell phone to call the police.


	11. Slow Changes

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

AmandaTron (Chs 9-10): Well, with the storyline I created, it wouldn't make sense for Nathan to hate Lucas. I'm glad you like it. Unfortunately, it may him some time to realize that. Lol. True that. Yep. Yay. I was able to surprise someone. Of course. Read on and see.

RockinRaven23 (Ch 2): Thank you. Sorry this isn't soon enough.

ILYBrucas: Thanks. Yeah, I liked them together, though I'm also a Leyton fan. Very true, but just keep reading. Thank you, I'm glad you like. P.S.: yes, that's one of the endgames and I'm trying to get there. It's just hard getting all the different angles together.

Long Live BRUCAS: Oh, I know. I'm so evil to him. Yep. Just keep reading and see. Like I said, keep reading and see.

DISCLAIMER

I'm so sorry it's been so long between updates! Blame a crazy school schedule and writer's block. Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. POVS may change, so I apologize for the confusion. I forgot to mention it, but Mr. Davis was at the game in the previous chapter. One swear word.

A few hours later, Lucas once again lay in a hospital bed. He stared at the wall as the doctor talked to the others who were in the hall, probably telling them what the rape kit had found. _How come this stuff keeps happening to __**me**_? he wondered. How come he couldn't catch a break? He sighed and fiddled with the corner of the blanket. Tonight should've been a great night. He had finally gotten to try out a sport. And he found that he liked it. He had been so happy…and now…it was all ruined. Seeing his distressed expression, Brooke excused herself, walked in, and gingerly sat on the bed next to him.

"Hey, Friend," she greeted softly.

"Hey, Pretty Girl," he answered.

"'Pretty Girl'?" she repeated.

"Yeah. Most girls would've just run away when they found out about me," he stated.

"Well, I'm not most girls," she reminded him.

"That's because of what's inside here," he said, sitting up and touching her heart. "You've been so amazing to me. You've---you've got this inner beauty that just shines through," he explained. She took his hand in hers, ducked her head, and laughed shyly. _He certainly is a charmer_, she thought to herself. "I---I really don't know what I'd do without you," he admitted. She looked at him and cupped his cheek with her other hand. For a moment, they stared at each other. _I wonder what it'd be like to kiss him_, she thought. Then, _No! Not the time!_ Again, Lucas surprised himself by leaning into the touch. _Why aren't I afraid of her? How can she make me feel so safe?_ he wondered. He looked into her eyes. _Whoa. She's got the most amazing hazel eyes_, he thought to himself. And it wasn't as if she didn't know that he liked her. He had told her so when he thought he was going to have to leave Tree Hill. And she had stated that she liked him back, but what did he do? They held each other's gaze for a moment and then leaned into each other hesitantly. As soon as his lips touched hers, Brooke felt like she was flying. _He's kissing me! He's really kissing me!_ was all she could think. But then, the rational part of her kicked in. Lucas didn't know what he was doing. He had just been raped and was feeling emotional and vulnerable. Reluctantly, she forced herself to pull away.

"I---I'm sorry. Did---did I---hurt you or something?" he asked.

"No. No, it wasn't you, I promise," she hastened to assure.

"I'm---I'm sorry. I---I shouldn't have---" he began to apologize.

"No, no, no, no, no, Luke. This wasn't your fault. I just---it's not a good time for you. I mean, you were just raped and---"

"You don't want this?"

"Oh, believe me, I **do**. I wanna kiss you so badly. But not like this. Not when I'm taking advantage of you."

"You're not. I know **exactly** what I'm doing."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Before Brooke could object further, Lucas kissed her again. This time, Brooke didn't pull away. Instead, she closed her eyes and let herself get lost in the kiss, which was different than any other she had ever gotten. Instead of passionate, hot, or demanding, it was sweet, chaste, and just a bit hesitant, much like one's first kiss. It made her feel special all over again. Lucas couldn't believe this was really happening. He was kissing the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and she wasn't pulling away. It **had** to be a dream. Brooke intertwined her fingers with Lucas' as he kept his hand on her heart and wondered if he could feel the vibration of its loud thumping. Normally in a situation like this, she would've tried to take it further, but here, with Lucas, she didn't want to. She just wanted his kisses. Unconsciously, she let one of her hands move upward. Lucas gave a little moan. _Man, she's beautiful_, he thought to himself. Suddenly, he felt her fingers in his hair and stiffened. _**Lucas sat frozen as his father ran his fingers through his hair, moaning lustfully**_. Noting the change in demeanor, Brooke pulled back.

"I---I'm sorry. I---I didn't mean to---" she began to apologize.

"No, it's---it's fine. I'm okay," he reassured.

"Why don't we just slow down?" she suggested. "I mean, we know how we feel about each other, and we have all the time in the world," she continued.

"Yeah," he agreed. Out in the hall as the adults talked, Nathan, Haley, Peyton, and Jake had noticed the interaction.

"Wow," Nathan said.

"Who woulda thought?" Jake questioned.

"They make a cute couple," Haley commented.

"Yes, they do," Peyton agreed. The boys looked to each other, and then their female friends.

"Now, none of that," Jake scolded.

"What?' Peyton and Haley chorused.

"I know that look, Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer. And we don't need you two playing matchmaker," Jake scolded again, as he took his girlfriend into his arms.

"But if it's obvious they like each other and---" her protests were cut off as he kissed her fiercely. She moaned and started running her fingers through his hair.

"You two do realize that that's the beginning of how Jenny was conceived, right?" Nathan reminded them. Peyton and Jake halted their make out session to glare at him as Haley elbowed him in the side. Meanwhile, the man that Jack Mallone had hired had quickly checked out of his hotel room and had taken off in his car. No way was he sticking around here. Out in the hallway, Mr. Davis had noted his daughter going into the young man's hospital room and talking to him. When they had started kissing, he had had to fight the urge to go in and break them up, but they had evidently made the decision to stop themselves. With a sigh, he checked his watch and his eyes widened. He hadn't realized it was so late! He had an appointment with the divorce lawyer in the morning. He went over to the hospital room and knocked on the door, causing the two teens to turn to face him.

"Hi, Daddy," Brooke greeted.

"Honey, it's late. We should get going," Mr. Davis told her.

"But---" Brooke started to object.

"He's right. Besides, I'm kinda feelin' tired," Lucas agreed.

"Okay, I'll let you rest then," Brooke stated. She gently moved out of the embrace and walked up to her father. Lucas lay back down and let out a sigh as a nurse came in.

"Feeling tired?" she asked.

"Just a little," he admitted.

"Well, I just have to make some adjustments here, and then I'll leave you alone," she promised.

"Okay," he agreed. She did what she had to do and left. Then, the boy made himself comfortable as he could on the bed and fell asleep. When Brooke and her father got home, they were surprised to see Victoria's car in the driveway. Their surprise increased when she got out, walked up to them, and then threw a stack of papers at her husband.

"You want a divorce? Here's your divorce, Chris. Have a nice life," Victoria snapped, and then got back in her car and drove away. Brooke looked to her father.

"Is she bipolar or something?" she questioned. The man stammered for a response.

"Let me just sign my own divorce papers," he finally managed to get out. With a shake of her head, Brooke went to her room and left her father to do just that. When he was done, he faxed the papers to his lawyer. Then, he went to bed. Back at the hospital, the doctors and nurses were trying to convince the Scott family and Julian to do what their friends had done and leave to get some rest, but they refused.

"I'm not leaving my son," Dan insisted.

"Mr. Scott, he just fell asleep. There's nothing really more that you can do," the nurse stated.

"You don't understand. We left him alone…and then he was attacked. We can't let that happen again," Julian responded.

"I'm with him," Nathan agreed.

"Leave or we'll call security," the nurse said firmly. Dan gave a frustrated huff, but finally conceded.

"Dad!" Nathan protested.

"I don't like it either, Nathan, but I don't getting into trouble with hospital security will be beneficial to your brother," Dan responded.

"I guess you're right," Nathan sighed. "But we're comin' back as soon as we can," he declared.

"Absolutely," the others agreed. They went to Lucas' room, where the boy jerked awake at the footsteps and stared at them with bleary eyes.

"Don't freak, but they're makin' us leave," Nathan told him.

"Damn hospital," Lucas mumbled.

"Watch your language," Deb scolded. Lucas grumbled intelligibly and rolled over as Nathan stifled a laugh. Then, the group walked out, got in their cars, and went back to the Scott house. Once there, they went to their rooms, and despite themselves, fell asleep. It seemed like this had just happened when Dan heard a knocking on their front door. He groaned and stretched out.

"Don't people have any decency?" he complained.

"Answer it before whoever it is wakes up the whole house," his wife advised. With a grumble, the man got up, put a robe on, and went downstairs as the knocking continued.

"Coming," he called. He opened the door to see the social worker that had detained Julian. "Can I help you, Ma'am?" he asked.

"My name is Katherine Johnson. You can call me Katherine. I realize it's early, but I have something I must discuss with you," the woman stated. "May I come in?" she requested.

"Oh, yes. Of course," he responded, stepping aside. "Can I get you anything to eat or drink?" he questioned.

"No, I shan't be long," she told him.

"Well, how can I help you?" he wondered.

"I just wanted to let you know that I've managed to set a trial date for Lucas," she said. The man gave a start of surprise.

"When?" Dan wondered.

"In two weeks to the day," Katherine responded. The man's brows furrowed.

"Two weeks? Why so soon?" he wondered.

"Legally speaking, his adoptive father has the right to a fair and speedy trial. Personally speaking, the sooner the trial starts, the sooner Lucas can heal," she answered. Dan nodded. That made sense.

"Thank you," he said. She gave a curt nod.

"I'll be by later with further details," she told him, and without giving him a chance to respond, walked off.

"I swear, she's related to the Energizer Bunny," Dan muttered, and then headed back upstairs, only to be intercepted by Deb, Nathan, and Julian.

"Who was it?" Deb wondered.

"The social worker from the hospital," Dan answered.

"What'd she want?" Nathan asked in confusion. His father then told them what she had told him.

"And she chose **now** to tell us this? It's like six in the morning," Nathan stated.

"Well---" Dan's voice trailed off. He wasn't sure what to say to that.

"I don't know how she does her job, but I'll say this: she's got the worst sense of timing I've ever seen," Nathan grumbled. Julian gave a short laugh.

"Kid, you ain't wrong about **that**."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

The bipolar line wasn't meant to be offensive. I have a cousin who's bipolar, and I love her to death. Brooke just made the comment because Victoria keeps blowing hot and cold. Also, I realize some parts may be unrealistic, and I apologize, but I'm doing my best.


	12. Moving Forward

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

RockinRaven23: He'll get there. I'm glad I was able to move you. Thank you for the compliment.

Long Live BRUCAS: Yeah, I figured it was about time. Glad you liked it. Me too. Yeah, I tried to paint him as a father, but an understanding one. Read on and see. You're absolutely right, but it just worked out that way.

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. POVs may switch and some things may be rushed. As of this chapter, there are changes as to who's in the core group.

In the hospital, Lucas had been wakened up by a nurse bringing him breakfast and was now flipping through the channels. Finally, he turned off the t.v. with an exasperated groan. There was a chuckle.

"Yeah, I was never a fan of daytime television either," a voice said. He looked to the doorway to see a doctor.

"Hey," he greeted.

"I'd ask you how you were doing, but I think that's pretty obvious," the doctor commented. Lucas just made a face and the man laughed.

"Well, cheer up. If things go well, you'll be able to leave by the end of the day," he assured. The boy's face lit up. "Yeah I thought you'd like that," the man continued.

"Hey, uh…do you know when my family's gonna get here?" Lucas questioned.

"Knowing them, they'll probably be here right after school," was the answer. Lucas grinned. He couldn't wait. He couldn't believe he couldn't wait. Meanwhile, at Tree Hill High, Nathan, Brooke, Jake, Peyton, and Haley were quietly discussing Lucas' situation.

"The poor guy. He can't ever get a break," Haley commented.

"Yeah. What should've been the best night of his life turned into a nightmare," Nathan agreed. Suddenly, they all became aware of a commotion at the back off the room.

"What the---" They all turned to see a group of Raven basketball players tormenting a boy.

"Hey, isn't that that kid Mouth?" Nathan asked.

"Yes, it is," Brooke responded, as she felt a feeling of protectiveness come over her. Without another word, she strode over them.

"Hey! Back off!" she snapped, pushing the boys away.

"What do you care, Brooke? He's just a geek," one of the boys stated.

"No, he's not. You don't even know him," she retorted. "For that matter---neither do I. At least---not very well," she added. "The point is, you don't have any right to torture him," she continued.

"Butt out, cheerleader," another boy said, shoving her to the ground.

"HEY!" Quicker than anyone thought possible, Nathan, Jake, and the rest of the group had joined them as Mouth helped her up.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. Thanks," she responded.

"You don't shove girls," Nathan said, pushing the boy who had knocked Brooke down.

"Nathan, Nathan, stop. I'm okay. He's not worth it," Brooke interjected, getting in between them.

"What is going on here?" a voice demanded. The students turned to see the teacher, who gave them the "I'm waiting" look.

"Nothing's going on. It was just a little disagreement that's over," Brooke answered, glaring at the other athletes. Then, taking Mouth's hand, they sat down.

"Hey." Brooke turned in her seat to seed a girl with red hair and glasses. "That was really cool of you," she said as the woman began her lecture.

"Well, it wasn't fair of them to pick on him just because he's not as popular as them," Brooke responded.

"I'm not sure if we've ever met, but I'm Glenda. Glenda Farrell," the girl said.

"Sadly, I don't think I even took the time. I'm Brooke Davis," she introduced herself.

"Davis," Glenda finished with Brooke, shaking her hand. "Hey, it's cool. Mouth told me how nice you were to him during your project," she continued. Then, "You're friends with Lucas Mallone, right?"

"Yeah."

"Where's he been?"

"Um, well, he was jumped after the game the other night and he's been in the hospital." Glenda's eyes widened. "He's basically okay, just shaken up. It was just a standard procedure thing to make sure he was okay," the cheerleader hastened to add.

"Oh, that's good. I wanted to say 'hi' to him and stuff, but he was always so skittish…you know?"

"Yeah, I understand. You didn't wanna spook him." Glenda nodded, relieved that Brooke seemed to understand what she was saying.

"Girls, is there something you'd like to share with the class?"

"No, Ma'am. Sorry." The teacher nodded and went back to her lesson. In her seat, Haley looked at Nathan.

"What?" he asked.

"That---that was really brave…and sweet…how you stood up for Brooke," she responded.

"Hey, she's my friend…and I was raised to treat women right…even though my past behavior contradicts that," he said. Then, noting the teacher was about to say something to them, "Sorry. We're done." She just rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she had a class to teach. After the class, the kids went off in different directions. Nathan was about to go into his next class when Haley pulled him to the side.

"Haley, what---" his question was cut off by a hesitant, but passionate kiss. Then, she pulled away, obviously embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry! I've just---I've been wanting to do that for a while. And I've been trying to play it cool because I'm **sure** you don't feel the same way and---" this time, it was Haley who was interrupted by a kiss. She draped her arms around his neck and the kiss intensified. Finally, they pulled apart.

"Good to know I wasn't the only one going crazy," he said breathlessly.

"You've---you've been wanting…?" Haley stammered.

"Heck yeah," he confirmed. She giggled, and they walked into their next class together.

"What is this?" Peyton wondered.

"We---might've taken the plunge and kissed," Haley giggled.

"Well, it's about time," Peyton told them. "All of those little lovesick glances were starting to drive me crazy," she continued.

"This is so great! P. Sawyer, you **so** owe me twenty bucks!" Brooke squealed.

"You guys bet on us?" Haley asked with a laugh.

"Well…" Peyton's voice trailed off.

"Oh, geez," Nathan muttered as they sat down. Almost immediately, the teacher began the lecture. Back at the hospital, Lucas had decided to give the t.v. another try. However, the result was the same. With a frustrated growl, he threw the remote at the t.v.

"Whoa. Okay: apparently daytime television isn't your thing," a voice quipped. Lucas turned his head to see Keith.

"Sorry, Mr. Scott," he apologized, trying to keep down his feeling of fear. _He's not going to hit me, he's not going to hit me_, he silently reminded himself.

"Keith is fine. Mr. Scott is our father," Keith responded.

"Right," Lucas said.

"Listen, I was just talking to your father and he said that the social worker, Katherine Johnson, came to their house earlier today," Keith began.

"What'd she want?" Lucas wondered.

"Luke, she set a date for the trial," Keith hesitantly told him. The boy's breath caught.

"When?" he wondered.

"Couple of weeks," came the response.

"Why so soon?"

"In her mind, the sooner she starts, the sooner it's over."

"I guess that makes sense." Lucas wasn't sure what to say. On the one hand, he was glad that he'd be able to deal with his parents sooner rather later, but on the other hand, it gave them a quicker opportunity to get him again. Keith shifted on his feet. He wasn't sure what to say. He suddenly wished he had taken Julian up on the offer to have him tell Luke this.

"Hey, uh, how you doin' with this?" Keith asked.

"A little freaked, a little relieved," Lucas admitted. "I'm not---I'm not really sure what Mom and Dad are gonna do next," he stated.

"I'm---I'm not really sure what to do here. Should I leave, stay…?" Keith's voice trailed off questioningly.

"Stay Keith…please?" Lucas requested. Keith pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed.

"For as long as you want," he promised. Lucas grinned. Meanwhile, Jack was being met by his lawyer, Roger Katz.

"So, what's up?" Jack questioned.

"Well, it's like I told your wife this morning, the DA's filed charges against you two---" the man began to say.

"They're totally bogus. We were just disciplining Luke," Jack interrupted.

"And they've set a court date for two weeks from now," Katz continued, ignoring the interruption.

"You're kidding? They actually believe the little liar?" Jack asked.

"Now, we should go over your defense," Roger stated.

"Not guilty. That's all we'll tell them. **Not guilty**," Jack emphasized. Seeing that it was no use to argue, Katz stood up, called for the guard, and was escorted out as his client was led back to his cell. Once he was alone, Jack angrily tore apart the room.

"Ooooh! When I get my hands on that little…"

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Here's where I'm stuck. Should I skip ahead to the trial or lead up to the trial?


	13. Serious Discussion

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Long Live BRUCAS: That's an idea, but I don't think I'm going to go with that. I really wanna wrap the story up. Yep. Yeah, me too. She was cool. I wish they'd bring her back. Ha, ha. Yeah. You'll see. Yep. Dan didn't tell Lucas because I wanted some Keith/Lucas time. You'll see.

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. I use one of Brooke's gestures from season 1 for this fic because I found it so endearing and sweet. And don't hate me for this, but there's gonna be a bit of a time jump after this chapter because I want to wrap the fic up.

When Lucas was told that he was finally being released from the hospital, he could hardly contain his excitement. When the others got there, Deb stifled a laugh at how his eyes sparkled. Not even Brooke could keep him calm. Not that anyone could blame him. The boy had been in the hospital at least twice now and it wasn't really a surprise that he'd want to leave the place behind. Luke had asked Brooke why she had taken so long to show up, but she had remained mysterious and had refused to answer the question. Now they were both in her car and he continued to plead with her.

"Come on, Brooke. How come you took so long?" Lucas questioned.

"No way. You're not getting anything out of me," Brooke insisted.

"Come on Pretty Girl. Please tell me?" Lucas wheedled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Nope. Sorry. Can't," Brooke responded. With a slight huff, the boy sat back in his seat. _Why is she being so mysterious?_ he wondered. Whatever she was hiding couldn't be a bad thing though because she seemed to be really excited about it. Brooke laughed. _Oh, I really hope he likes it when he finds out_, she thought to herself. Not even the other Scotts except for Nathan who had given her a key to the house knew what she had done. Finally, they were back at the house.

"Now will you tell me?" Lucas requested.

"Nope. You're just gonna have to wait some more," Brooke responded. The wait wasn't long as she led him to the room that he had slept in before. Lucas' jaw dropped.

"You---you---"

"I feng shuied the room. It promotes physical and spiritual healing," she confirmed. "Do you like it?" she added nervously.

"I love it. Thank you," he responded, taking her into his arms. _He likes it! He really likes it!_ she excitedly thought to herself as they shared a quick kiss. "Just one question: how'd you manage it?" he wondered.

"I got permission to skip some of my classes," she answered.

"Really?" he asked skeptically.

"Well, of course. After all, I **am** Brooke Davis," she relied in a fake snobby tone. They laughed.

"I don't know what I'd do without you. You've been so great to me through all of this," he said softly, his eyes clouding a bit.

"Well, you have nothing to worry about, Clean Boy. I'm not going anywhere," she declared.

"'Clean Boy'?" he asked in surprise. _How can she say that? She knows what I did---how dirty I am_, he thought. As if reading the thought, Brooke took Lucas' hands and held them in her own.

"Clean Boy," she repeated. He smiled softly.

`"Pretty Girl," he said. She chuckled and ducked her head. Then, they heard footsteps.

"Wow. It's been feng shuied," a voice noted. They turned to see Dan, Deb, Keith, Nathan, and Julian.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Lucas asked.

"Wow. Brooke---just---wow," Nathan commented. He had known the girl had planned **something** for Lucas, but he didn't know she was gong to go all out.

"So, Keith tells me that the trial's in a couple of weeks," Lucas commented.

"Yes, that's correct," Deb confirmed. Lucas sighed and nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

"Whatcha thinkin, Kiddo?" Julian asked.

"I---I don't know. My mind's so mixed up. It's like everything's going a hundred miles an hour," Lucas confessed. "Is a trial really worth it? I---I mean, look at what just happened. I went against my father and I got punished for it," he continued.

"No, what happened back there wasn't your fault," Deb told him.

"Yeah, I---a part of me knows that, but---" Lucas started to say.

"It's hard---changing your way of thinking," Deb finished sympathetically.

"Hey, w---w---would it be all right if Brooke and I talked alone?" Lucas requested.

"Of course. Come on," Dan agreed. The others walked out.

"Hey, what's up?" Brooke asked.

"I'm scared, Brooke. I'm gonna have to face all of those people. They'll know what happened---what I did," Lucas admitted.

"Luke---" Brooke interjected.

"I---I know it was forced and that I had no choice, but it'll be different than telling people I trust, people who have gotten to know me. What if---what if Mom and Dad convince them that I'm lying?" Lucas wondered.

"Lucas, maybe you should try letting them go. As long as they're still 'Mom' and 'Dad' to you, they'll still hold the power. They'll still be able to mess with you here," Brooke stated, gently tapping his temple.

"But how do I stop it, Brooke? How do I get them out?" Lucas wondered. Brooke hesitated. She didn't know what to say to that.

"I---I don't know," she finally admitted. "But what I **do** know is that you have a whole network of people who will support and love you, and that nothing anyone says will change that," she continued. He softly smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her. She returned to the gesture, and he took strength in her warmth.


	14. Day In Court

SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

Long Live BRUCAS: Yeah, I know what you mean. Yeah, she is but remember that it's hard for Lucas. For a long time, it was the only life he knew.

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot. The trial's length and the amount of time they take to get a verdict are unrealistic, so I apologize.

TWO WEEKS LATER

Lucas, followed by his family and friends, walked into the courtroom. Deb looked to Dan worriedly, and he reassuringly squeezed her hand.

"Our boy will be okay," he whispered in her ear. Deb smiled at that. Our boy. She still couldn't believe that the custody hearing had gone through so smoothly. They had expected Luke's adopted parents to put up a fight, but after a guard had apparently caught Jack Mallone arguing on the phone with the man who had attacked Lucas outside the school, the fight seemed to go out of him…especially when the police ended up tracking the man down and arresting him. Sensing how nervous he was, Brooke rubbed his arm soothingly.

"It'll be okay. Just focus on us. It's why we're here," she reminded him. He gave her a grateful smile.

"Thanks," he said as they all sat down. The judge was announced and the woman wasted no time in starting. Lucas was up first and told the court everything. How he had been in the system until he was ten which was when the Mallones had taken him in, what they had done to him, the beating he had endured, how they had controlled him, and how they never let him do anything that they deemed unacceptable. Throughout the testimony, the couple's faces had darkened until they each looked like dark thunderclouds.

"Mr. Scott, we've heard from you about many things that your adopted parents put you through, but it seems that you've failed to mention one of them," his attorney, Linda Carlton, stated. With a sigh, Lucas nodded.

"That's---correct," he confirmed.

"Now, I realize that this is extremely difficult for you, but would you please tell us what else happened to you?" came the request. Lucas slowly out a breath and Jack's eyes bore into him. The little brat would never tell. He knew the consequences. He could forgive him everything else, but their secret was to stay between them. Seeing that Lucas was having trouble, the attorney decided to ask another question. "Mr. Scott, you've mentioned physical, emotional, and mental abuse. Were you ever abused in another way?" the woman asked.

"Yes," he admitted.

"How? How were you abused?" Ms. Carlton questioned.

"Jack---he---he---made me---" Lucas' voice faltered as he heard a disapproving sigh come from his adopted father. "He---he made me---" the boy hesitated as the man started drumming his fingers on the table. Nervously, he looked at the people in the court until his gaze landed on Brooke. She subtly tapped her temple. He nodded. She was reminding him to let them go.

"Mr. Scott?" Ms. Carlton asked. "Should I repeat the question?" she continued.

"No," Lucas responded. "He made me have sex with him," he stated. There was a small gasp from the court and he heard a growl come from Jack. A glare from the judge silenced the court.

"Thank you, Mr. Scott," Ms. Carlton stated.

"Does the defense wish to cross-examine?" the judge questioned.

"Not at this time, Your Honor," the Mallones' lawyer replied.

"You may step down," Ms. Carlton told Lucas. Then, it was the Mallones and their attorney's turn. Their stories however, were completely different. According to them, Lucas was extremely anti-social, never joining any clubs or activities despite their encouragements, and had once made a pass at his father. Lucas opened his mouth to protest, but a quick hand squeeze from Brooke kept him silent. At the cross-examination, Ms. Carlton walked up to Jack.

"Mr. Mallone, you say that you and your wife often encouraged Lucas to join activities and clubs. Is this correct?" she questioned.

"Yes," Mr. Mallone confirmed.

"What about sports? Did you ever encourage him to try out for any sports?" the woman asked.

"Well, we're not a very sports oriented family," the man answered smoothly.

"What was your reaction when you found out that Lucas had made the high school basketball team?" she wondered.

"I was surprised. I didn't even know he liked the sport," he lied.

"You weren't angry with him?"

"Why would I be angry about that?"

"If you weren't angry with him why do I have a quote from him that you lost your temper, started kicking him, and told him that sports were for spoiled brats and that no son of yours was going to become that?" Jack's eyes flashed dangerously. Lucas tensed. Then, Jack smiled charmingly.

"The boy's a habitual liar. Goodness knows Brenda and I have always told him to be truthful, but for some reason he won't listen to us." Ms. Carlton smiled. After a few more questions, she returned to her seat. Everyone was dismissed as the jury deliberated. Lucas paced around nervously.

"Hey, it'll be okay," Peyton told him.

"What if it's not? What if they don't believe me? What if they believe Jack and Brenda?" Lucas wondered. _Jack and Brenda? That's a start_, Brooke thought to herself.

"They won't, man. You gave a strong testimony. They'll see the truth," Jake said confidently.

"And if they don't, we can always knock them on the head," Glenda suggested.

"Yeah, I think we might have some problems there," Mouth commented. Lucas chuckled softly. Finally, they were called back in.

"Will the defendants please rise?" the judge requested. With a huff, the Mallones did so. Then, the head juror was asked the verdict. Lucas tensed and Brooke quickly grabbed his hand and held it tightly. The decision turned out to be a resounding guilty on all accounts.

"Yes!" Lucas sighed in relief.

"WHAT!? THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! YOU'RE GONNA BELIEVE THAT LYING LITTLE BRAT!?" Jack roared. He attempted to lunge towards Lucas, but was intercepted by two security guards.

"Will someone please escort Mr. Mallone out before he has a coronary in my courtroom?" the judge requested. This was done so.

"This is great. I'm so happy for you," Brooke told him.

"Come on. Let's get out of here," Lucas suggested. With that, they all started out.

"Hey Brooke, you **are** cool with me quitting the squad, right?" Peyton suddenly asked.

"I won't lie, P. Sawyer, I miss you. But I totally understand why you did it, and you have my back one hundred percent," Brooke responded. As they headed out, Dan and Deb looked at each other as the kids continued to talk.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Ms. Carlton is calling Lucas "Mr. Scott" to maintain professionalism and she got her information during the two weeks before this chapter.


	15. Epilogue: A New Life

DISCLAIMER

Title inspired by the Imani Coppola song. Belongs to Mark Schwahn and the CW. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize.

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

Excitement filled the air as people poured into the gym. In the boys' locker room, Lucas nervously rubbed his hands on his shorts.

"You okay?" a voice asked. Lucas turned his head to see Nathan.

"What if I mess up?"

"You won't. You'll be fine." Lucas threw his brother a grateful smile. In the girls' locker room, the cheerleaders were chattering excitedly as they changed into their uniforms.

"So Brooke, how are things between you and Lucas?" Haley wondered.

"They're going. We're still takin' it slow 'cause it's still hard for him at times," Brooke replied.

"I can't even imagine surviving something like that," Haley stated.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Brooke agreed. Then, "On the other hand, it's kind of refreshing to just be **dating** and not having to worry about a guy doing the loving and leaving thing." Haley was about to respond when they heard a knock on the door, which was soon opened to reveal Peyton.

"P. Jagielski, what's with the knocking? Get in here," Brooke chided.

"I just wanted to wish you guys luck. You ready?" Peyton commented, hugging Brooke.

"Yeah. I just can't believe how pumped I feel," Haley commented.

"Could it possibly have anything to do with a certain Scott brother?" Brooke teased.

"Brooke!" Haley protested.

"Oh, you mean the Scott brother who's also known as her husband?" Peyton chimed in.

"Oh, like you're one to talk, **Mrs**. **Jagielski**," Haley shot back. The three laughed.

"Come on. Let's get ready. This is gonna be epic," Brooke predicted. The three laughed and Peyton left as Brooke and Haley finished changing. Then, they headed for the basketball court. In the stands, Mouth and Glenda had been joined by Peyton and Jake.

"Hey, guys. How's Jenny doing?" Mouth questioned.

"She's doing good…even though she's taken to waking us up at insane hours," Peyton responded. "Jenny just loves driving Mommy crazy, don't you, Bunny? Yes, you do." Glenda, Jake, and Mouth laughed at the girl's antics. The tip off came and the game was underway. Haley and Brooke lead the others in a cheer. As the game progressed, Brooke found her gaze drifting towards Lucas. _I can't believe how happy he is now. He __**so**__ deserves it_, she thought to herself. Lucas and Nathan used several team ups to outwit their opponents. Finally, they were in the last period of the game with only a few seconds on the clock.

"It's all yours, Big Brother," Nathan stated, throwing him the ball.

"Thanks, Little Brother," Lucas responded. He let the ball go and it sailed towards the net. _Please let it go in, please let it go in_, he silently pleaded. To his relief, it did---one second before the buzzer sounded. With a loud cheer, Keith rose to his feet. Everyone whooped and hollered. Brooke squealed excitedly and made her way over to Lucas.

"Oh my gosh! This is so exciting! You were great, Boyfriend!" she shouted, flinging her arms around his neck. He laughed and wrapped her into a hug.

"Crazy Girl," he whispered in her ear. She gave him a quick kiss before Dan, Deb, and Keith walked up to them.

"That was some game, you guys," Dan commented.

"Man, I'm still buzzed," Nathan admitted.

"Maybe I can help you burn off some of that extra energy," Haley stated flirtatiously.

"See you later," Nathan promptly said, and husband and wife quickly took off. Meanwhile, as Glenda and Mouth high-fived the people around them, Jake and Peyton were bouncing Jenny up and down elatedly.

"Ravens win! Ravens win!" Peyton chanted. "Ravens, Jenny. Can you say Ravens?" she asked. Then, in a coaching voice, "Ra-vens. Ra-vens. Come on, Jenny. Say Ravens." Jake laughed.

"I hate to break it to you Peyton, but I think she's still a little too young to be talking," he said. She ignored her husband and continued to coach their daughter. Seeing the happy family, Dan laughed.

"What do you think that's about?" Keith wondered.

"I'm not sure," Deb answered. Then, "Lucas, great shot. It was amazing."

"It sure was. We've got the kid with the golden arm over here," Keith agreed.

"I don't know about that," Lucas objected.

"Don't be so modest. I've never seen anybody cut a game that close before," Dan told him.

"I have," Whitey commented coming up. "At your championship game. I remember thinking I was going to have a heart attack right there," he continued.

"Well, if I never apologized for that, I'll do it now: I'm sorry for scaring you, Coach," Dan said.

"Oh, that's all right," Whitey told him. Then, "Heck of a shot, Son. Heck of a shot."

"Thanks, Coach," Lucas grinned.

"What do you say after we find Nathan, Haley, and your friends; we go grab a celebratory snack? Anything you want," Dan promised.

"Sounds great…Dad," Lucas responded. A lump suddenly lodged itself in Dan's throat. Dad. He had finally called him 'Dad'.

"I'm gonna go gather up the kids," Deb said.

"I'll go with her," Keith stated. With that, the two walked off.

"So, Luke…how does it feel?"

"Really amazing. I just---I don't think I can explain it, Dad." Lucas was surprised with how easily the word was coming out of his mouth. He finally had everything he had dreamed of. He finally had a family. Dan looked to the other side of the gym where Nathan, Haley, Keith, and Deb were standing.

"It looks like they're ready to go," he noted.

"Shall we?" Lucas questioned, holding out an arm.

"We shall," Brooke answered, linking her arm in his. The trio joined the others and after gathering up Jake, Peyton, and Jenny, along with Glenda and Mouth they all went to Deb's Den where they squeezed into a booth.

"So, what do we all want?" Deb wondered and was immediately bombarded with different answers.

"Well, I asked," Deb laughed. Then, "What about you, Luke? What do **you** want?"

"Could I just have a BLT with a regular coke?" Lucas requested.

"Sure," Deb answered.

"Thanks…Mom," Lucas said. This time it was Deb who had the lump in her throat. Mom. She was finally 'Mom' to him. Then, one of the waitresses came over.

"Hey, Mrs. Scott. What can I get you guys?" she asked. Everyone started ordering and Lucas pulled Brooke close to him and she snuggled against his shoulder.

"I love you, Lucas Scott," she said, looking up at him.

"I love you too, Pretty Girl," he responded, kissing the top of her head. Then, as the waitress left, they both leaned against the seat and watched as their family and friends talked and laughed.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTE 1

So I was thinkin' of possibly continuing this reality and was wondering if I did so, what season storylines you would like to see changed. Be aware though, I already have possible plans for the school shooting in season 3.

AUTHOR'S NTOE 2

If you or someone you know is being physically abused, call 1-800-4-A-CHILD (2-24453). If you or someone you know is being sexually abused, call RAINN's national hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).


End file.
